Coconut Caf759 Beacon Street

Newton, MA

(617) 244-5575

Now that you can use WhoCash for Takeout Taxi, there is a plethora of options for Thai food which will be delivered right to your door. One such option is Newton Centre's Coconut Caf, located on Beacon Street, right in the business district of Newton Center. The restaurant is primarily a take-out and delivery place, but there are also tables seating a total of 14 people in the snug storefront.

For dining in or taking out, Coconut Caf offers standard Thai fare, including pan fried, curry and noodle and rice dishes, each of which can be made with chicken, beef, pork, duck, shrimp, tofu or veggetables.

The appetizer list is comprehensive, offering the full range, with no surprises. Tofu is served fried, grilled or with crabmeat. Rolls are either served in the Vietnamese style with shrimp or according to the Thai recipe, with vegetables and curry. Scallion pancakes with a beef sauce or an unusual coconut pancake are available, as well as many other classics.

There is nothing extraordinary about Tofu Tod, fried crispy tofu served with sweet sauce. The Thai 'Veggie' Rolls are disappointing; measuring roughly the size of one's pinky finger, the portion size leaves something to be desired. As for taste, if you do not like curry, these rolls are not for you. "Roti," the scallion pancakes, were the best of the three appetizers, though the sauce was curiously oily and meaty. The appetizers are moderately portioned and slightly overpriced, so skip ordering from Coconut Caf if all you want is appetizers.

For the main dish, there is an extensive choice in both styles and ingredient. There are 17 pan fried dishes, including "Rama Longsong," a vegetable dish with peanut sauce, "Thai Sweet and Sour Sauce" and "Prik Pao," a roasted chili paste stir fry. To each of the options can be added one meat or meat substitute as aforementioned.

For those who enjoy Thai food for its spicy flavor, curry is the way to go. There are eight curry selections at Coconut Caf from the traditional red, yellow and green coconut to 'Prik King' or 'Choo-Chee. ' Recommended is the 'Panang Coconut Curry,' which is heartily portioned, includes a wide array of fresh vegetables and is suitably spicy. The curry dishes are also served with rice and offer the choice of meat or tofu.

The classic Thai dish, "Pad Thai," is served five different ways for those interested in adventurous takes on the original. Especially delicious is the "Crispy Pad Thai," which contains small crispy noodles served with peanuts, egg and scallions in a sweet sauce. Another interesting and delicious option is the 'Pad See-You,' which is wide noodles similar to Chinese Chow Fun served in a sweet soy sauce. As with the curries and stir-fries, your choice of meat or tofu can be added to these noodle dishes as well as to the rice dishes.

All the entrees range in price from $8. 50 to $9. 75 for dinner or $5. 95 to $6. 50 for lunch. Each is also served with steamed jasmine or brown rice. Noodles or curried rice can be substituted for an additional dollar. The portions overall are liberal, guaranteeing plenty of leftovers.

The set-up of the restaurant makes take-out a more enticing option, though all the tables were full on a Friday night. The tight seating and slow service does not detract from the food, but certainly offers no dine-in appeal. The next time you have a yearning for Thai food, use your WhoCash and have it delivered from Coconut Caf -- our advice is to skip the appetizers and go straight for the tasty and affordable entres.